North America Defence News

US; MSDA seeks laser armed HALE to intercept ballistics missiles

The Missile Defense Agency (MDA) is seeking a new high altitude long endurance (HALE) unmanned aerial vehicle with the unique capacity to carry a high energy laser system that can stop enemy missiles when they have barely left the launch pad, according to a new MDA request for information.

As yet, no HALE unmanned aircraft have the capacity to field a high energy laser system. For the new UAV, the MDA is looking for the next generation of laser technology to build upon the Low Power Laser Demonstrator (LPLD) and firmly establish a U.S. capacity to defeat enemy ballistic missiles in their Boost Phase.

Possible new technologies for the high energy laser payload include fiber laser technology, which, Northrop Grumman asserts, produces a higher resolution laser beam over a longer distance. Fiber lasers can maintain a high power output because the surface area to volume ratio prevents the laser from overheating under sustained power levels. The fiber technology’s wave guidance abilities also limit the amount of thermal distortion, which can take place over long travel distances.